Reaping the Whirlwind

First, I’d like everyone to take a moment and appreciate the clever title of this post. I’m unreasonably proud of it.

We good? Okay.

After a long week, Sarah and I have finally managed to tie up about 99% of the loose ends on the fundraiser. We’ve drawn numbers, sorted prizes, sent e-mails, and packaged nearly everything up.

And when I saw “we,” I mean “Sarah.” I did a lot of the sifting, number juggling, and e-mailing, but Sarah was the package queen.

Awww…. She loves those packages. Those hundreds and hundreds of packages.

Also, as you can see in the lower lefthand corner, the holy light these prizes exude can shine through cardboard, tape, and two layers of bubble wrap. It’s powerful stuff.

I’d also like to note that these packages do not include the Subterranean Press books. Because not only was Subterranean Press cool enough to donate a great pile of stuff, they were nice enough to handle all the shipping for those books too. Which is why I am filled with love for them.

And speaking of love….

Here Sarah is modeling the catgirl hat many of you have seen before. I wanted to prove that I actually did buy it for her, and wasn’t secretly keeping it for myself.

Simply said, the fundraiser would have been impossible without Sarah. She spent dozens of hours bundling up books, running errands, and generally getting everything done. Hell, the trip to the post office alone took two full hours, and that was with a friend with a van helping.

Everyone say, “Thank you Sarah.”

And now, answers to some final questions.

Things went really crazy right at the end of the fundraiser. What happened?

Things did go a little crazy. On December 9th, I mentioned on the blog that I thought we had a decent chance of breaking $40,000. Then, we raised over $16,000 in the next two days, tearing past $50,000 and leaving me worried that I was going to have to take out a loan so I could cover my half.

A big piece of this was brought about by folks spreading the word on their blogs. Most notably, Neil Gaiman.

I’d heard through the grapevine that Gaiman was a bit of a Heifer supporter, so I sent him a little e-mail, asking if he’d be interested in mentioning it on his blog.

I should have realized that asking for something like this would be like sticking my tongue into…. well… into anything, really. In my experience, whenever you stick your tongue into something, the outcome is going to be either very exciting, very dangerous, or both.

This was one of those “both” situations. After his blog, Gaiman’s readers flooded over to participate in the festivities. Felicia Day mentioned it on her blog too. Plus, I know a lot of folks were finishing their own personal fundraisers and/or waiting until the very end to make their donations. Hence the crazy.

Rest assured, everyone who got their donations in by the 11th was entered into the lottery.

And yes, I’m all twitterpated that Gaiman referred to me as a “good author.” Though I hope at least some of that was referring to my storytelling as opposed to my ethics.

The donations hit nearly $55,000. How much are you matching?

The other day I asked Sarah, “What do you want for Christmas?”

“Nothing you can afford to get me,” she said huffily.

And we laugh. This has become the running joke in our house.

I’ve decided to match all the donations. I could have stopped at forty thousand, but I said I’d keep matching until the 11th, and I like to keep my promises.

What was the final total?

If you’ve read the blog that started it all, you know I offered two options to people who wanted to donate. There was the Sure Thing option, and the Lottery option.

A surprising number of people chose the Sure Thing, which meant they mailed me a check and I mailed them something back, usually a book or a map signed however they wanted it.

(Click to Embiggen)

A *lot* of people chose this option. So many that I ran out of first edition books. The total amount raised from the Sure Thing option was over six thousand dollars.

That, plus my matching donation from the lottery, minus the cost of postage and packaging materials, brings us to $58,493.14

I’m showing you the check not as proof that I’m mailing it, but because it took me ten friggin minutes to write this thing out. I screwed up five checks before I managed to get it right. I misspelled “ninty,” wrote the wrong amount, wrote the wrong year, and failed more than once to get the total to fit on the line.

I keep pretending that I’m a grown-up, but I’m not.

Anyway, this money, plus the donations that were made directly to the Heifer page, makes a grand total of $113,466.28.

I don’t have words enough to express how happy this makes me. I firmly believe that deep down, people are fundamentally good. But it’s nice to have some data that backs that sentiment up every once in a while.

I’d like to thank all the authors who donated books, all the people who mentioned the fundraiser on their blogs, and all the people who donated money to the cause. Yay us.

Are you planning on doing this again next year?

Yes. But I’m planning on doing some things differently.

More stuff. A lot of people wanted to contribute books or other goodies to this year’s auction, but they didn’t hear about the fundraiser until it was nearly finished. I’ve already got stuff piling up for next year’s fundraiser.

Streamlined lottery. Next year, when you make your donation you’ll be able to mark what prizes you’re interested in. That way if you win something, it will be something you’re sure to like.

Auctions. Some prizes are really cool, but only to a very select group of people. So next year we’re going to auction those items off separately. These might be things like manuscripts. Or they might be services, like an author agreeing to insert your name into an upcoming book, a lawyer offering legal consultation, or feedback on a manuscript from a literary agent.

I want to be a part of next year’s fundraiser. How can I help?

Donate. Want to chip in a signed book or two? Lovely. Have a cool collectible or unique skill you think would be a worthwhile addition? Wonderful. I’m already collecting prizes for next year. Send them along.

Or maybe you’d like to be an even bigger part of the fundraiser? I’m going to be looking for official sponsors to help me match donations for next year. I’d like to be able to do all of it on my own again, but I just can’t afford it.

If you’d like to help out, drop me a line on my contact form or send an e-mail to Paperback.contest (squiggly at thinger) gmail.com.

Spread the word. Not everyone has signed books to donate or money to throw around. But you can help a lot by letting people know about the fundraiser. A lot of the prizes I received came from authors who contacted me, saying, “A fan sent me an e-mail about your fundraiser and I’d love to be a part of it.” So if you know someone that might be interested in helping, donating a prize, or potentially being a sponsor, talk to them about it. It’s a big help.
Help me come up with a name. We *really* need a name, folks. We can’t keep calling it “The Heifer Fundraiser.” It lacks panache. Names are important things, you know. And they can tell you a lot about a fundraiser.

Right now, the best I’ve been able to come up with is “Worldbuilders.” But we need something catchier than that. I know that a lot of you are word-clever, as shown by your constant, witty definitions of the word verification giberish. Funnel the churning magma of your creativity toward this problem and I’m sure we can come up with something good.

In fact, let’s try to get the ball rolling in the comments below. Serious suggestions only please. Believe me, I’ve come up with enough sarcastic-sounding ones on my own…. (Geeks for Goats being the least lame of these.)

To make up for you spending your hard-earned money on my behalf, I sent a friend a copy of your book for Christmas (it was on his Amazon wishlist from my recommendation anyway) AND I would have sent one to my dad, but they didn’t have one at the store. So he’s getting mine and I’m getting a new copy. Oddly, I had been looking at the Heifer catalog at home and pondering and then I stumbled across your blog and it seemed like kismet. (is a ‘recest’ a reece’s that doesn’t like other types of candy?)

what are you going to do if donations break $100k next year? i mean, you’ll probably be ok if you get book two out by then, but if not… ;-)as for suggestions for fund raiser names, i like “Worldbuilders”Maybe, “We are the Worldbuilders”? “Worldbuilders ‘R’ Us”? “The Charity Chronicles”? “Hope with a Heifer” or “Hope with a Goat”! “Supporting Sustainable Worlds”

I agree, buzz. But then, I’ve only had to write about five checks so far in my life… Let’s say none of them went well. It was cool seeing all those envelopes sent to you, Pat, and even cooler seeing the one that was probably mine ;-)Oh, and (chorus of kindergarten voices): “Thank you, Sarah!”

Hi Pat….. AND SARAH!!!Thank you for inspiring all of us…. and for honoring your commitment to the very end. I think the name should be a testament to the one who started it all…. Of course, my addled brain can only come up with “Rothfuss Rousers” or some such…… but give me a bit of time, and I’ll have something better (I hope!) :o)Thanks again!!!!J

To Sarah: Thank you from the heart of my bottom! You’re fabulous!!To Pat: Congrats on the mind-boggling total!! I’m giving away a copy of the paperback NotW to my little bro for Christmas. If it makes you feel good, it was sold out at the Portland Powell’s. I had to get it at another Powell’s.Also, for the name? I love ‘Geeks for Goats’ quite passionately, actually. ‘Baby Duck-Mongers United’ or a variotion on Woodstock. ‘Livestock ’08’. :)

“The Ubuntu Campaign ” – Ubuntu being a Zulu/Xhosa word that translates to “I am who I am because of those around me” or more specifically the principle of caring for each other’s well-being…and a spirit of mutual support. Sometimes also translated as “humanity”Very appropriate to this initiative in my humble opinion.

You (and by you I mean Sarah) should be very proud of your accomplishments with this fundraiser–it was an awesome undertaking. A friend of mine who lives in Australia introduced me to the Heifer foundation and also Kiva a while ago, so I know that supporting those organizations is a worthwhile endeavor.Congratulations and I’m looking forward to next year’s event.

Hey Pat,Congrats on the totals, you might want to contact all your publishing houses and ask them to chip in a certain amount. Just that with you being released in all sorts of countries now it won’t be too big a thing from one area. (At least thats the theory.Oh and as for a name what about something likeDaffy for Ducksor Daftie for Ducks.or perhaps evenDrafties for Ducks.All the best,Gareth

umm… how many ducks would that make?lol, seriously though, I’ve decided to “give” my maybe-future-mother-in-law (that would be the mother of the boyfriend I’ve been with for the past three years, so her being my mother-in-law at some point is looking more and more possible) a share of a “knitting basket” from Heifer. She likes to knit, she’s from Peru, and the basket features two llamas and two sheep, llamas being practically the Peruvian national animal (along with guinea pigs or some other household rodent).I wanted to donate to the Peru project, but that would break the budget :( gotta make rent on minimum wage, you know, and tuition might be going up next semester.Anyways, thanks for the great idea, and for all your generosity. I’m sure I’ll be reaping the rewards through the butterfly effect.Speaking of which… have you considered calling it Readers for Heifers?

I just got home from work and found a curious looking package in the mailbox. I blinked a few times, and saw it was from you. My first thought was, oh, Pat got me a Christmas gift! Well, shit, I didn’t get *him* anything. Why is he sending ME something?…Oh, wait…it’s book-shaped…holy god, I won something. Half of me wants to cradle it and sleep with it and bring it to the dinner table with me, and the other half of me wants to auction it off and donate the proceeds back to Heifer.

Wow, that would have taken me some time to write out, too. Just the numbers alone are intimidating. You and Sarah done a good thing–congratulations! And Sarah looks way hotter in the cat hat than you, Pat. Sorry.I would pay good money to shadow you at one of your classes at the University–just a thought for next year.How about Heifer Universe?The Name of the HeiferKvothe the Heifer (LOL)Heifer in the Wind (bah lol)From my heifer to yoursI’m just pulling these out of my…Ok. Well done. Good job. And stuff like that there.Jules

Dear Patrick and Sarah,It is absolutely amazing what you did together. I remember when you started and hoped to get 5000,- dollar and now is more then 10 times more. I made a little calculation to really imagine. The total amount is (depending on the animal) good for:5900 chicks3930 honeybees1960 pigs 985 goatsThat means that you at least changed the lives of almost 1000 family’s. That’s amazing!!!!

I’m so happy that everyone was able to raise so much money! I was compeletly unable to donate this year, (for which I feel really guilty) but I’m happy I’ll have another chance to participate next year.

Congratulations. It must be a very fine feeling to be the orchestrator of so much good.Looking forward to new book which will inevitably now come quicker so that you can feed yourself. *hopes*Looking at the figures and the fact you nearly managed 1000 goats you should call it “KiloGoat” or “Kilokid”. Seriously though dude, there are Saints who have done less good for the world.

That is one clever title post.A tip of the hat to the package queen, and another to the author with a fuzzy heart of gold. This went beyond an excellent idea.As for the naming of things:How’s about – The <>International Rothfuss Alliance<>, or IRA for short… damn.Zavin’s suggestion made me chuckle, yet Rusty’s had impressive formatting AND a slogan… I vote for WAMASH!

I kind of dig “For Baby Ducks.” I know it doesn’t say EVERYTHING, but it does have a nice ring to it, and I’d definitely read more about something that had that title.Sarah – thank you for being so in love with your own image that you secretly arranged to do all the work on this project so you could have your picture on the site twice. You adorable little philanthropist, you. You deserve hugs and kisses.

Hey it’s my first comment on your blog! Pat, you and Sarah are both awesome. I didn’t realize that you were sending gifts to EVERYONE who donated by the 11th, so imagine how surprised I was to come home and find a package. Thank you for that, as well as for doing so much for a great charity!(Kristen Z. from Facebook)

Every time you post something about Sarah I feel like calling out “Three cheers for Sarah” – she seems such a wonderful person!But this time I feel more like 58 thousand cheers for Sarah!For supporting you all the way with this project – I am full of admiration!And 58 thousand cheers for you too!You two are my heroes now!Rosi

Hi Again – OMG OMG OMG – TOTAL squee moment. Despite the pic showing the enormity of the packages Sarah hauled to the Post Office (2 hours?? really????) I had figured that I wasn’t going to be a lucky recipient… I just don’t have that kind of luck. I was VERY honored to have been able to donate, and I was more than satisified with that. But imagine my ultimate joy in opening my mailbox today and seeing a package from YOU, in your own handwriting……. Wow. You have totally made my holidays… and provided me with a wonderful distraction as I drive 8 hours to see the inlaws!Wishing you and Sarah a sane, love and fun filled holiday season and new year…..J

Pat, you and Sarah are legends. I just got the lotto prize this morning. The postman waited for five minutes while I dragged my hairy self out of bed. I was half-asleep, so it took a while before I realised what a truly, truly wonderful packer Sarah really is. ;-)Thanks you both very much. Yer awfy good folk. It totally set me up for the day. I had to go out and do a bit of last minute shopping. Usually I hate queuing, but I had my Billy idol Christmas album on, and a weird thought in my head about crowd surfing in the supermarket. I even stood and listened to the Pipers on Argyle Street. It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Have a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous new year.Read the world? Word Aid? DAD? (Donate a Duck)

Wow.Lots of moneyWow.Thanks for giving us all a chance to be a part of this!And my vote totally goes to Geeks for Goats. Alliteration, catchiness and humor. It shows that we’re people too. People who appreciate a good laugh;)Wow. YOU GUYS RULE;D

It was more than a pleasure to give. It made me smile to know i helped a little bit. It made me feel good. And I found a package at my door today as well. and it was a very cool thing i received.word verification: Hedam: gender confused female parent of a puppy.

Pat, I hate to say it, but I think you’ve named it yourself…… “Reaping the Whirlwind” has a nice ring to it. And I think you can name it for each year….. RtW08, RtW09, etc.WV- Imati-Sadly this one is actually a transative verb in Bosnian meaning ‘to hold’ or ‘to possess’, sorry kids, maybe next time I will get a word that means nothing until I get my hands on it.

Pat,I was thinking about names. And came up with Embers of Tomorrow.First off the fund raiser spans novEMBER and decEMBER.(The embers!) Secondly, starting a fire is made much easier with embers as a support. Much like the charity. Creating a sustainable life for yourself is hard from ground zero, but can be made more reasonable if you have a cow or a goat as renewable support.~NathanP.S. Thanks for the four-corners maps

purshnu. My cats said this a lot. I don’t know if they were jus sneezing or if they were telling me they loved me, since it only happened when they headbutted me. Since the first option indicates they were allergic to me, I’m going with the second :)On those grounds, purshnu Sir Rothfuss. It’s an awesome thing you’ve done and more awesome that you’re going to keep on doing it. I’ve also passed your book out as a Christmas present, and hopefully can boost your bank balance to help with equalling next years drive. Also, I’ve got my eye on the date of the next one, so that should aid your coffers a little more :)

Hi Pat, I got home this morning to find a note to collect a parcel from my local post office and was competely perplexed as to what it might be – perhaps those Amazon books that I ordered two months ago which got lost? It made my day to find out I had won something in the lottery and the excerpt from TWMF is a perfect teaser. Congrats on the fundraiser for such a deserving cause and perhaps we’ll see you over in Ireland for a booksigning this year?!Paul

Woo! just got my signed gallery proof!It now fits snugly between my first edition NOTW and my paperback “reading” book. you totally brightened my day Pat!mutowni- a person who resides in the township of Mississippi University

I found a parcel from Pat Rothfuss in my mailbox today! Wow! What a surprise. Thanks!Lovely project and I sure want to help to spread the word next year. Thank you so much for the idea and all the creativity with the prizes and everything!! Absolutely lovely!

‘In the Name of the Word’‘Better Books for Better Lives’(Better Books, Better Lives?)‘Save the world, Word by Word’‘Worthy Words’ or ‘Worthy Reading’‘Worthy Reading for a Worthier World’‘Readers Who Reach Out’(Readers Reaching Out)‘Reaping the Wordwind’ XDD!‘Better Books, Brighter Futures’haha. ^^ ive never commented before but your book and cause are so admirable :)

you know, i was happy to contribute to such an admirable charity and my heart was touched by how many others gave something as well. well, that’s all over now. i WON something. wheeeeeeeee! happy dance around kitchen. chapbook signed by peter beagle, one of my favorite authors ever. teaser signed by pat, who will be one of my favorite authors once i get my hands on his second book ;-)and one hell of a stand up guy for putting this together. thank you, sarah the sainted.

Just an idea for next year, but maybe the final name chosen and some cool logo could be put on a tshirt, perhaps from cafepress or something, and you could sell those as well. Or use them as prizes. Just a thought.And I heartily support Geeks for Goats.Or maybe Author’s Ark?

I totallylove “Geeks for Goats”!It has it all: alliteration, humour, reality. Plus it’s snappy!My second choice would be ‘Read and Feed” whover suggested that one, kudos. Simple and descriptive. Plus it rhymes!!!!

I would also vote for Geeks for Goats! Or Livestock or Wordstock. I think silliness is always a good thing, maybe especially in a noble cause. Then you don’t come across as pretentious or taking yourself too seriously. Not that there’s any real danger of that — you seem like a very modest person — but I have a phobia of overly noble names for charities. After all, it’s our privilege to be born into a life where we can GIVE to a charity, rather than be the recipients.

Going off the thought of Worldbuilders, I used to have a sort of Dead-Poet-Society-esque group of people and we named ourselves Aedificatio Somnium…or something to that effect. Translated from Latin, very poorly I’m sure, it means Dream Builders/Carpenters/Workers.See if you like that sound.